environmental Science Homework Help
mcd72170
lecture_5_continued.pptNorth American Biomes
Part 2
The Tundra is found in the extreme Northern latitudes and on the tops of the Western Mountains.
There are two types:
a) The ARCTIC TUNDRA, in the Northern latitudes, characterized by
its PERMAFROST LINE, and
2) the ALPINE TUNDRA, found on the tops of the Western
Mountains.
The general characteristics of both tundras are similar, except for the presence of the permafrost in the Arctic Tundra. We will discuss them in detail later.
GENERAL LOCATION OF THE TUNDRA IN NORTH AMERICA
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TUNDRA
- cold, moist climate
- short growing season
- dominant vegetation is low-growing or mat-forming plants
- All tundra types are very windy and similar in characteristics except for the permafrost line found only in the Arctic Tundra.
LOCATION OF NORTH AMERICAN ARCTIC TUNDRA
ARCTIC TUNDRA #1 – NOTE MAT-FORMING PLANTS IN FOREGROUND
ARCTIC TUNDRA #2 – NOTE ABSENCE OF TREES
ARCTIC TUNDRA PERMAFROST LINE
LOCATION OF ALPINE TUNDRA IN WESTERN U.S.
ALPINE TUNDRA #1 – NOTE ROCK FIELD IN FOREGROUND
The TIMBERLINE is an ECOTONE between the Subalpine Forest and the Alpine Tundra on the Western Mountains is also an ecotone. It represents the area where the forest begins to thin out and is eventually replaced by tundra.
TIMBERLINE
SUBALPINE FOREST
TIMBERLINE (aka TREELINE)
ALPINE TUNDRA #2 – NOTE MAT-FORMING PLANT IN FOREGROUND AND TIMBERLINE IN THE BACKGROUND
MORE ALPINE TUNDRA HABITAT
The Rain Forests are very complex and competitive biomes.
There are two primary types of RAIN FORESTS: The TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST (Northern California and Southern Oregon), and the TROPICAL RAIN FOREST (Southern Mexico and Hawaii).
GENERAL LOCATION OF THE TUNDRA IN NORTH AMERICA
- most complex vegetation of any biome
- high species diversity
- low numbers of individual species
- long growing season
- warm
- moist; may have monsoonal season
- very competitive system
- Lianas and epiphytes common, especially in the TROPICAL RAIN FOREST
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RAIN FOREST IN GENERAL
LOCATION OF TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST IN NORTH AMERICA
REDWOOD FOREST IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST
TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST #2 – NOTE HOW COMPETITIVE THE HABITAT IS AND THE ABSENCE OF CLEAR STRATIFICATION
TEMPERATE RAIN FOREST #3- WESTERN NORTH AMERICA
LOCATION OF TROPICAL RAIN FOREST IN NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST #1 – NOTE COMPLEXITY OF VEGETATION
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST #2 – NOTE COMPETITIVE HABITAT
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST #3 – NOTE ABSENCE OF CLEAR STRIFICATION
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST #4 – NOTE LARGE LIANAS
TROPICAL RAIN FOREST #5 – NOTE EPIPHYTES
QUIZ ON NORTH AMERICAN BIOMES
WHAT IS A LIANA?
WHAT IS AN EPIPHYTE?
WHAT ADVANTAGES DO EPIPHYTES HAVE IN A TROPICAL RAIN FOREST HABITAT?
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF RAIN FOREST DESTRUCTION TO HUMANS. PLEASE EXPLAIN YOUR REASONING.
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARCTIC TUNDRA?
